The judge beams as he approaches my girl. “Rebekah. It’s been a long time. You look so lovely.” He turns toward me. “Shall we get started?”
Mrs. Olsen smiles at Rebekah next. “So pretty, dear. You have your mother’s eyes. The blue is stunning.”
Mrs. Olsen is right. Rebekah’s eyes would make anyone do a double-take. I get to stare into them for the rest of my life. I’m beaming with pride as I guide her so that we’re standing in front of the judge.
She’s trembling with nerves. I can’t blame her. I’ve rushed her. That’s putting it mildly, but I didn’t want to take any chances that her father would try to get between us. After we’re married, she’ll fully be my responsibility. Hopefully, he will back off. He won’t have a choice.
Rebekah is a grown woman. She can marry and leave her childhood home if she wants. And based on the way she’s smiling at me, I’d say she wants this as badly as I do.
I barely hear a word Judge Henderson says as I stand facing my bride, her small hands in mine. I rub the backs of her knuckles with my thumbs, trying to calm her.
I suspect marrying me isn’t even close to the reason she’s so stressed. She’s worried about what I will do to her after. The truth is, I would never do anything she wasn’t ready for. I will not press her to take me into her body until she’s ready. It’s enough to know that she’s mine now. No one else will ever have her.
When she’s in my bed tonight, I will breathe easier knowing she’s safe. She’ll be where she belongs. It was fast, but it was inevitable, and once I realized the danger she could be in if I let her go home, there was no way I would allow it.
As soon as I suggested marriage, I knew it was the right thing. My heart settled. I also surmised she was incredibly concerned about appearances and propriety. So here we are. This is the best solution. But what happens in our bed is no one else’s business but ours. No one needs to know when we consummate our union.
One of my brothers suddenly chuckles and nudges me.
I startle and glance at the judge. He lifts his brows.
“You’re supposed to say ‘I do,’” Aaric murmurs.
I smile broadly. “I do.”
Rebekah is a bit pale. I hope I didn’t scare her with my hesitance. I’m so mesmerized by her that I’m struggling to pay attention to anyone else and what’s going on around me.
When prompted, Rebekah also says, “I do.”
My heart is racing as the judge finishes the ceremony. She’s mine. She’s really mine.
“You may kiss the bride.”
I watch her expression closely as I ease her into my arms. With one hand at the small of her back, I cup her face with the other and lower my lips to hers.
My girl sighs into my mouth as she kisses me back. Her hands come to my waist, and she rises onto her toes.
I need more. I need her closer. She’s too short. So I bend, wrap my arms around her, and lift her off the floor, putting us eye-to-eye. “Let’s try that again.”
This time, as I kiss her, she holds my face, her fingers in my beard. She kisses me back with more passion than I expected.
I love her. We haven’t said it yet, but I do. Call me crazy. I don’t care. I love Rebekah Sharp… Rebekah Gallant.
We don’t have rings, which I hate, but it couldn’t be helped. We’ll get them as soon as possible. I want her to have something she loves, not something I picked up in this tiny town.
Rebekah smiles broadly as I lower her to the floor. Everyone congratulates us. My brothers pat me on the back, but each of them hugs my girl and welcomes her into the family, including Asher. He might not agree with me rushing into this, but he’ll get over it. In time, he’ll see that I was right.
Aaric and Adrian take off before us. I’ve asked them to help me out with something, so they need a head start.
It takes a while to sign the marriage certificate and make everything official, and then we’re back outside, and I’m lifting my girl into the truck. I buckle her in before I close the door and round to my side.
She faces me, her cheeks adorably pink, chewing on her bottom lip. “Am I dreaming?”
I take her hand and bring it to my lips to kiss her knuckles. “If so, I hope we never wake up.”
“You’re my husband…”
“You’re my wife.” It sounds exactly perfect rolling off my tongue. If anyone had told me when I woke up this morning that I would get married today, I would have thought they had a few screws loose. And yet, here we are.
